Yesterday afternoon Iain and I enjoyed the serene surroundings of St Paul’s Church in Covent Garden to help Rainbow Trust celebrate their 30th Anniversary.

Otherwise known as the Actors Church, there are an incredible number of plaques in remembrance to the great and the good who have had their ashes scattered or kept there.

Here is my favourite

We were there as Rainbow had asked me to address the assembled mass of friends and family of the charity. To tell our story, and to really instil the importance of what Rainbow does for those families they care for.

As you can see, I looked jolly smart – prompting my colleagues to ask I had a job interview – those wags!

The event was overseen by the patron of the charity Lord Fellowes of West Stafford, and he did an amusing and considered job of shoving proceedings along, while really taking the time to get across a serious point.

I was there to share our story – about Iris’ illness, her treatment and quite what Rainbow means to us. It has never got any easier – it must be the tenth time I have spoken on their behalf, and it gets me every time – either talking about Mary, our Family Support Worker, the process of treatment and tests and the eventual loss of our daughter.

With Anne from the charity setting out their future aspirations, and some lovely musical interludes it was a special afternoon – rounded out with champagne and canapes!

Prizes were shared with some of their top fundraisers, some amazing people who have selflessly dedicated themselves to raise the money that the charity needs to keep going, and grow into new regions.

And therein lies the issue – the charity needs to become famous – it needs to become a household name. Spoken about in the same breath as CRUK or RNLI, they have national aspirations, and it can only happen with an increase in funding. In our small way, Iain and I are working hard to plug into that.

When we get on our bikes in July 2017, it will be with Iris in mind to drive us up those hills, and the thought of those families in the future, wherever they are in the country, whatever the universe throws at them – that Rainbow are there and able to help.